Why not all nutritionists are the same
Are you unsure about the type of nutritionist you should consult to improve your health? There appear to be so many various sorts of nutritionists, health coaches, and dieticians out there that it is difficult to navigate. So, why is a licenced practicing nutritionist a more trustworthy health practitioner to help you achieve your nutrition goals?
So what is a certified practicing nutritionist?
A Certified Practicing Nutritionist (CPN) is a tertiary-educated, degree-holding, clinically trained nutritionist whose credentials have been evaluated and approved as meeting the Australasian Association and Register of Practicing Nutritionists’ training and competency requirements.
CPNs are licenced primary care nutritionists who specialise in clinical nutrition, which includes prescribing dietary supplements for complicated nutritional medicine, nutrient replacement, and dietary modification (as applied within the clinical nutrition/nutritional medicine paradigm).
Clinically educated nutritionists work in a self-regulating business that differs from other forms of self-regulation in the nutritional services sector. This industry has been legally sanctioned by Australian government legislation since at least 1989, when the Therapeutics Goods Act included clinically trained nutritionists.
If a CPN has not completed supervised Clinical Nutrition clinical practicum training as well as the required clinical skills theory curriculum (pathophysiology, pharmacology, independent clinical examination, independent complex case taking, counselling, and independent Clinical Nutrition / Nutritional Medicine prescribing), they should not be confused with a non-clinically trained nutrition scientist (also known as a nutritionist).
Where do Certified Practicing Nutritionists practice?
The majority of Certified Practicing Nutritionists (CPNs) work in private practice, either alone or in multidisciplinary clinics alongside medical doctors and other allied health professionals. Although GPs can refer patients to any allied health professional with knowledge relevant to their patient’s needs, they are not required to do so in order to see a CPN, as CPNs are primary healthcare providers.
Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism typically connect with pathology. In light of this, there are numerous reasons why speaking with a Certified Practicing Nutritionist (CPN) could be beneficial. In addition to promoting health maintenance, CPNs assist in resolving the basic metabolic dysfunctions that underlie frequent health problems and chronic disease states.
For instance, a CPN can promote cardiovascular health by focusing on underlying metabolic factors, like insulin resistance and inflammation, which are especially responsive to nutritional medicine intervention. This will improve the metabolic parameters surrounding the disease and lessen the burden of the disease on the client, even though the CPN does not claim to treat cardiovascular disease.
CPNs receive training on how to provide nutritional support in the following areas:
- Cardiovascular health
- Trauma symptom recovery
- Metabolism
- Immunological and endocrine health
- Digestive health
- Health of the musculoskeletal system
- Support for the nervous system
- Food intolerances and skin health
- Environmental sensitivity
- Allergy diets
- Women’s health and menopause
- Stress
- Performance on the physical level
In order to promote both good health and the recovery of disease states, a certified practical nutritionist (CPN) is trained to interact with both health and sickness. The combination of pathophysiology education and independent clinical examination in CPN degree programs gives students an innate ability to evaluate and track their health and recognise when they need to refer patients to other medical specialists, such as exercise physiologists, psychologists, counsellors, and doctors.
CPNs are taught to take a thorough medical case history, which may include details about past diagnoses and pathology test findings. A CPN will create a differential assessment that translates the client’s needs within a nutritional biochemical scientific paradigm using the information they have learned, their own clinical expertise, and any additional pathology testing that may be necessary. This process is based on scientific evidence. This makes it possible for the CPN to determine and create a personalised nutritional medicine intervention programme that will assist the client in reaching their health objectives. The client’s primary care physician is consulted for any new information or understanding on emergent pathology.
What qualifications do Certified Practicing Nutritionists possess?
The following conditions must be fulfilled in order to practice:
Earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in clinical nutrition or nutritional medicine that has been approved by the AARPN, or a minimum of a degree in human nutrition science that has been partnered with clinical-bridging paths recognised by the AARPN (requires in-person, face-to-face training).
Work in accordance with the AARPN code of ethics and behaviour and fulfil continuous professional development standards.
Non-clinically trained nutrition scientists who also use the name nutritionist are referred to in generalised comments that describe “nutritionists” non-clinical. Clinically trained Certified Practising Nutritionists (CPNs), who have an acknowledged clinical capability and use their unique professional services within the shared dietary services arena, should not be included in these comparison statements.